Never Grow Up
Part of the Songfic Series OA is Taylor Swift. About a queen who never wants her kit to grow up. A feeling most queens get. :) Never Grow Up You're little hands wrap around my finger '' ''And it's so quiet in the world tonight. You're eyelids flutter 'cuz you're dreaming So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light. :"He's beautiful." Poppyfur whispered in awe. Pricklepaw's tiny body lay curled next to hers, his gray and white fur rising almost in sync with his mother's. His milkly blue eyes fluttered for a moment as if he was trying to wake up, but then they fell again. :"He is." agreed Fernleaf, a pretty speckled queen and Poppyfur's best friend. :Poppyfur nodded not taking her eyes off her son. To you, everything's funny. You've got nothing to regret. I'd give all I have honey If you could stay like this. :Pricklekit tottled outside, his now distinguished blue eyes wide against the new world outside the nursery. Poppyfur watched him with a mixture of pride, happyness, and sadness. He's growing up already, so fast...''she thought. :Pricklekit trotted up to his mother with Mothkit and Black-kit following close behind him. :"Mom, look!" he held out a frog for his mother to inspect. The ShadowClan queen leaned forword to sniff her son's offering. :"That's a frog from the fresh-kill pile." she purred. :Pricklekit's eyes widened. Then he and his friends erupted into giggles. When they had quieted, Pricklekit asked, "You mean we eat them?!" Poppyfur nodded solemnly and the kits began to giggle. Fernleaf poked her head out of the nursery and good-naturedly herded her two kits as well as Pricklekit off to play before returning into the nursery. :Poppyfur watched her son begin to play with Black-kit, Mothkit not far behind. Her heart warmed as she saw him playfighting, swiping at Moth-kit, then ducking, then rolling, springing up at Black-kit. ''He'll make a great warrior...''she thought proudly. :But the idea of her kitten leaving her side to become a warrior saddened her as well as filling her with pride. She padded back into the nursery to keep Fernleaf company. ''Oh darling don't you ever grow up, Just stay this little. Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up. It could stay this simple. :Poppyfur purred softly, careful not to let Pricklekit feel her and wake. For the past 2 moons her kit had been a bundle of engergy. Once he was up, it was almost inpossible to get him to sleep, eat, or tell her about his day. He was always playing with Mothkit and Black-kit or in the elders den or trailing wistfully after the apprentices. :She lciked his fur, unable to help herself. He was still her kit and even if he woke up she would pay the price for this action. He stayed asleep and she sighed happily. The shift of her flank howver dislodged him and he blinked open shocking-blue eyes. "Hey..." :His eyes widenened and he jumped up. "Training!" he called, charging out of the nursery. Poppyfur lunged for him but missed and her kit squirmed out of the nursery. He re-entered a moment later, carried by Fernleaf who had been resting outside. :"Where're you going so early?" she asked Pricklykit after setting him down gingerly. :"What's this 'training'?" Poppyfur asked suspiciously. :Pricklekit rolled his eyes. "The apprentices are showing us the hunting crouch today." :Poppyfur sighed. "Well I guess..." :Pricklekit's ears perked and he chriped. "Thanks Mom!" before dashing out. I won't let nobody hurt you, Won't let no one break your heart. No, no one will desert you. Just try to never grow up. :Poppyfur sat outside the nursery with Fernleaf. The two queens were silent, watching their kits take their first steps into the world of apprenticeship. Pricklekit showed a keeness for hunting, Mothkit as well. Black-kit was constantly tipping over and Fernleaf looked like she wanted to go hold him steady, help him. :As Poppyfur watched, Swiftpaw, a brown and white she-cat, showed the kits the basic belly-rake move. Pricklekit was immediately jumped on by Black-kit who seemed to have more of a flair for fighting then hunting. Poppyfur stood in worry but Pricklekit had already turned over and the two kits rolled over and over. :As she settled back, Poppyfur swore to herself that she'd never let her kit be hurt, whether it be in hunting or fighting. :No one will claw or bite or hurt my kit. His heart will never be broken and his pelt will never be torn. I won't let it happen. You're in the car, on your way to the movies And you're mortified, your mom's dropping you off. At 14, there's just so much you can't do. And you can't wait to move out someday, and call your own shots.' :A moon or so later, a few days after Pricklekit turned 5 moons, Poppyfur caught her son trying to sneak out of the nursery at the crack of dawn. :"What are you doing???" she hissed groggily. :"Um..." she gave him a glare and he sighed. "Swiftpaw and Mallowpaw were gonna take us to Pine Tree Clearing." :"But Pine Tree Clearing is where they practice battle-wait....us???" she scanned the nursery with sleepy eyes and caught sight of two more pairs of eyes. "Come here Black-kit, Mothkit." :The kits gathered around her and she sighed. "Alright, you can go." :They erupted into yowls and whoops. :"BUT!" Poppyfur yowled. "But, I'm coming too." :There was a stunned, dissappointed silence then Pricklekit wailed, "But Mom..." :"No buts." she growled. :"We won't look cool!" her kit protested. :"Too bad." she said, leading the way out of the nursery. :The kits followed, grumbling. Poppyfur heard Pricklekit mutter, "I can't wait to be a warrior..." But don't make her drop you off around the block. Remember that she's getting older too. And don't loose the way you dance around In your PJs, getting ready for school! :As soon as they could see Pine Tree Clearing, Pricklekit scampered in front of his mother. To avoid running over her kit, Poppyfur stopped too. :"You can leave us here now." Pricklekit told her. His tail twitched ine xcitement but his tone and eyes were serious. :Apart of Poppyfurn wanted to follow them, to watch them, to take them home. But she kenw that would embarrass Pricklekit. "Alright." :She watched them trot to the clearing, watched the two apprentices greet them, then turned and left, running back to camp, her tail streaming behind her. Oh darling don't you ever grow up. Just stay this little... Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up. It could stay this simple. :When she arrived back in camp, Fernleaf greeted her. "Where are my kits?" the brown speckled she-cat demanded with fiery green eyes. :"Oh StarClan, I didn't tell you. They went out with Swiftpaw and Mallowpaw in Pine Tree Clearing." :Fernleaf relaxed. "Well as long as they were with the apprentices..." :"Actually, I took them. To the Clearing, I left after they started." Poppyfur meowed. :Fernleaf wrinkled her nose, but said nothing else. :A few moments later, Poppyfur brought up the topic that had been eating at her. "Fernleaf, have you ever felt like you'd to anything to keep your kits as kits...?" :"Of course." Fernleaf replied briskly. "But I don't dwell on it. That would be selfish. We did the same to our mother's. It's a kits' destiny to grow up and become whatever he wants to and it's a queens fate to want to stop it. But they can't. And they shouldn't try. You should never take out your wishing on a kit." her green eyes met Poppyfur's amber. "By say, embarressing them in front of their friends." :Poppyfur's ears flattened and she stuttered. "O-Of course." :She turned and padded away, aware of Fernleaf watching her leave. No one's ever burned you. Nothing's ever left you scarred. And even though you want to... Just try to never grow up! :I'm not slefish, not selfish....''Poppyfur thought nervously. :She remembered her earlier vow. Was Fernleaf right? Was she being selfish? A warrior got hurt and most queens let their kits fight their own battles. It was wrong not to. Poppyfur sank to the ground in hot embarressment and annoyence at her own ignorence. ''Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room. Memorize what it sounds like when your Dad gets home. Remember the footsteps, remember the words said! And all your little brother's favorite songs... :The best thing for Pricklekit to do would be to remember his kithood, to remember the good times and his friends and his mother and his games. Not to cling to it, not to stay that way forever. To remember it. If he was lucky, maybe even cherish it. :Then something Fernleaf had said popped back into Poppyfur's thoughts. We did the same thing to our mothers... There was someone Poppyfur could talk to. :She padded to the elders den. I just realized the everything I have Is someday gonna be gone. :Briarbush grinned at Poppyfur. "Hey Mom." :Briarbush's tail twitches. "You never visit me." :Poppyfur flinched. "Well I have something to ask you...." :Briarbush grins. "About kits." :Daughter blink at mother, "How'd you know?" :"Fernleaf was in here the other day. She was talking to Sagefoot. Didn't help her much though, poor old tihngs not very good with kits..." Briarbush looked at a dozing old she-cat who looks surprsingly strong. :Poppyfur shuffled her paws. "She told me I was being selfish keeping a hold on Pricklekit like I was. But I guess she's doing the same thing with Mothkit and Black-kit." :"No." says Briarbush. "She feels the same as you, but she can hide it. You hold your kit back." :Poppyfur's mouth went dry. "So what d I do?" :Her mother shrugged. "Whatever you normally do." her eyes twinkled. "Just treat him like the cat he is and not the kit you used to suckle." :Poppyfur licked her ear "Thanks!" She started to pad back but Briarbush stopped her. :"Bring that kit in sometime yourself." she grinned. "I'm tired of seeing him without you having properly introduced us." :Poppyfur dipped her head, eyes glittering. "Of course." So here I am in my new apartment. In a big city, they just dropped me off. It's so much colder then I thought it'd be. So I tuck myself in, turn the nightlight on. :Poppyfur poked her mouse around, not really hungry. The kits and apprentices had yet to return from their 'training', but Poppyfur wasn't worried. Not after her talk with Briarbush. :"Hey." Fernleaf slid in beside her. Poppyfur's eyes met her best friend's and there was an unspoken understanding. :"I'm sorry about..." Fernleaf began. :"It's fine, you were right." Poppyfur hurriedly said, not wanting to make her friend feel bad. :Fernleaf sheathed and unsheathed her claws. "I just wish it didn't have to be this hard!" she exclaimed. "Fighting battles isn't half as hard as this!" :Unlike Poppyfur, Fernleaf had chosen to be a warrior the minute she got her name. She wanted to return to her duties as soon as possible, but Poppyfur knew she was also uneager to leave her kits. :"I don't know it anything is." Poppyfur sighed. :"When I went to go see my mother she told me I was being a moron and that she oculdn't wait to have me out of the nursery when I was born." Fernleaf meowed. :Poppyfur flinched. Sagefoot had a habit of being as cold and uncaring as the wind. She reared only one litter and Fernleaf had been her only kit to survive. When the green-eyed she-cat ahd moved into the nursery, Poppyfur had watched her closely to see if she had inheirited any of her mother's habits for raising kits. Luckily, she hadn't. :"Briarbush told me that she felt the exact same thing that we did and not a quee feels differently." she purred. "Except Sagefoot." :The two purred quietly until the sight of the returning partol of kits and apprentices raised them to their paws. Wish I'd never grown up. Wish I'd never grown up! Oh, wish I'd never grown up, I wish I'd never grown up! Could still be little! Wish I'd never grown up, wish I'd never grown up! It could still be simple.. :Pricklekit stared at his mother. "How come you took me out here when Mothkit and Black-kit are sleeping?" :Poppyfur had taken her kit to the outskirts of camp. They stood outside the bramble barrier for a moment before the queen answered. :"Because I need to tell you something." Pricklekit looked nervous and Poppyfur smiled. :"I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for making you look uncool on the way to Pine Leaf Clearing. I'm sorry for being overbearing and paranoid." :"Oh." It was hard to see Pricklekit in the darkness, but his blue eyes glowed. "S'okay." :Poppyfur licked him between the ears. "It was my fault. But when you're older you'll understand. How queens never want their kits to grow up. My mother didn't want to loose me and I don't want to loose you." :Pricklekit pressed against his mother. "It's okay, I won't go anywhere, I'll always be in the camp near you." :Poppyfur purred. He doesn't understand. She led her kit back to camp and into the comfort of the warm nursery where he fell asleep curled up next to her. Won't let nobody hurt you Won't let no one break your heart. And even though you want to... Just try to never grow up! :Poppyfur talked ot her son several more times about the feeling she tried to supress as he reached closer and closer to six moons. He seemed to understand, but sometimes he wouldn't respond, just stare outside. Poppyfur hoped she wasn't burdening him. :The night before he turned six moons, the night before he became an apprentice, she talked to him once more. But this time it wasn't a 'Does-this-help you-understand?' or 'You'll-feel-this-when-you're-older' speech. It was a letting go speech. But she caught the anxiety in his eyes as she sent him to bed and wondered if she'd done something horrible. :She didn't sleep that night, the horror and sadness keeping her up. She could hear Fernleaf fidgeting across the nursery. Don't you ever grow up. :"Pricklekit, Mothkit, and Black-kit. You have all reached 6 moons of age. Today you become apprentices." :Poppyfur and Fernleaf sat at the front of the crowd, behind their kits. Mothkit kept looking bakc at Fernleaf, but the two tom-kits stayed still and silent. :Finchstar carried out Mothkit and Black-kit's ceremonies first. Fernleaf quivered slightly beside Poppyfur and the two kits ceremonies passed too quickly for Poppyfur's liking. :Pricklekit stood up to take his place. Poppyfur wanted to yowl, to stop it. :"Pricklekit, you have reached six moons. It is time you became an apprentice." the leader's eyes traveled to a newer warrior named Dapplepelt. "Dapplepelt, you will mentor Pricklekit and pass down your knowledge and skills too him. I now give you the name of Pricklepaw until you earn your Warrior name." :The rest of the ceremony was done and soon Poppyfur found Pricklepaw staring up at her. "Well?" he asked. Dapplepelt stood a few foxlengths away and Pricklepaw's eyes were anxious, his voice timid. :Poppyfur thought for a moment. She was puzzled, finding she wasn't devastated at all. Sad, yes. But not heartbroken. :"I'm so proud of you." she purred and curled her tail around her kit. She let him go after a moment, watching him trot over to Dapplepelt, then watching them pad out of camp. She caught Briarbush's eye across the clearing and she smiled at her mother as she padded over to sit with Fernleaf. Never grow up! Category:Artimas Hunter's Fanfics